In To The Heart of Darkness
by quiet-heart
Summary: What happens when an NCIS agent goes missing in Miami and another agent turns up dead? It's up to Horatio and Gibbs to put the pieces together before someone else dies....
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I've been a bit busy with life lately and I'm kinda sorta hoping I can do this. I'm a fan of NCIS and CSI: Miami and I've always wondered what would happen if the two should meet...

**Chapter 1**

She didn't appear to be asleep so much as she was watching the world go by through the window. Lieutenant Horatio Caine studied the brunette woman, the bandage on her forehead a sharp contrast against her dark chocolate hair, hair he knew well. He had run his fingers through it often enough.

He could see scrapes and bruises on her face and arms, testament to the trip in the swamp she had taken. CSI Jesse Cardoza, who was trying to assist in the case, had yet to be able to determine just where she had gone in the water. According to Jesse, their investigation was made even more difficult by the fact that she couldn't remember who she was or what had happened. To complicate matters, she was refusing to submit DNA or fingerprints, believing whoever had tried to hurt her might come back to finish the job if they knew she was still alive. Who, she didn't know, why, she didn't know. Only that she did and she was steadfast in her belief.

Horatio knew who she was. He had known for months and he could understand her concern, even if she didn't. Her name was Special Agent Janet McAllister and she was a federal agent for Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS. He knew her because they were seeing each other and had been doing so for about three months. She had disappeared last night, when she was supposed to meet him for dinner and had never shown up despite repeated calls to her cell. Now he knew why.

As if sensing his eyes on her, Janet turned her head towards him and looked at him.

"I know you," she said, her hand reaching out to him.

"You do," he said, coming in to the room and taking her hand, putting the bag he'd brought beside the bed.

She sat up and with a sigh, reached for him. She relaxed when he wrapped his arms around her and laid her head against his shoulder.

"I'm not going crazy," she said.

"No more than I am," he said, gently rubbing her back the way he knew she liked. He felt her smile against his shoulder.

After a moment she let him go and lay back against the bed. He pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Who am I?" she asked, never taking her eyes off him.

"You are Janet McAllister, a supervisory federal agent for Naval Criminal Investigative Service," he said. "I am Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade CSI. We've been seeing each other for about three months."

"I'm not from around here, am I?"

"No; you transferred from Washington, D.C. about four months back. We met at a convention there and apparently something I said to you got you thinking. Shortly afterwards, you requested a transfer to Miami and your boss agreed, both deciding you needed a change."

"That explains why nothing really feels familiar; I haven't been here long enough." He nodded. She continued to study him. "Do I sleep with a gun under my pillow?"

"You mentioned it to me once, yes," he said. "You've been a federal agent for twelve years and you were a patrol officer for five before joining NCIS."

"So old habits die hard," she said.

"That, sweetheart, is correct."

She nodded. "What happened to me?"

"What do you remember?"

She rubbed her head. "Fragments. I keep seeing a window explode and I keep feeling my head suddenly hurting. A voice, maybe mine, maybe someone else, keeps screaming something but I can't make out what's being said. And a strong sense of urgency that something is very, very wrong."

"Okay. What we do know is sometime late last night a group of teenagers partying along a local waterway spotted you floating downstream while holding on to a piece of debris. Not sure if you were dead or alive, they brought you to shore and discovered you were very much alive but with a bullet graze to your temple," Horatio said. "You had no identification on you and you weren't coherent. There is no evidence on you to suggest you were involved in any kind of struggle so I suspect you were caught off-guard. The only thing we do know for sure is that you may have been shot at while you were in a vehicle because of the bruise on your left collarbone, suggesting a seatbelt." Janet reached up and rubbed the aforementioned bruise.

"And the vehicle I was in?"

"No sign of it," he said. "However, I did have my people start looking for your car, a blue 2010 Mustang convertible I know you were very fond of."

"Okay. What happens now?"

"Now, now you rest, sweetheart. I brought a change of clothes as well as a few personal items for you so you would feel more comfortable," he said. "Until the doctor clears you, you will remain here under the name of 'Jane Doe' until I can guarantee your safety."

"And you?" she asked.

"I am going to make a few phone calls and call someone in to find out who wanted you gone."

"The sooner I get out of here, the better," she said. "I hate hospital food and I'm craving real coffee."

He smiled. Yup, memory loss or not, she was going to be just fine. "I'll raid your favourite take-out place as soon as possible," he promised, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles (how many times had he done such a thing?).

She nodded. "Go. Go catch the bad guys," she said, letting go of his hand and reaching for the nurse call button. "I need a shower and I don't think asking you to join me would be very appropriate."

He leaned close and whispered, "Maybe not here...." Just as he'd hoped, her ears went scarlet and he left the room, grinning.

He spoke briefly to the charge nurse, informing her of the situation and she agreed to leave the name 'Jane Doe' on Janet's file for now, promising to call for a discrete security guard to check on her regularly.

Then he left the hospital and took out his cell, pulling up a number he'd entered in to it before leaving the crime lab. After two rings, there was an answer.

"_Yeah, Gibbs_," a male voice said.

"Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs?" Horatio asked.

"_Speaking,_" Gibbs said.

"We need to talk."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Washington, D.C., NCIS_

Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs listened closely to the steady voice on the other end of the line.

"_My name is Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade PD. One of your fellow agents, and I believe a friend, is currently in hospital with almost no memory of who she is or who tried to kill her._"

"You have my attention," Gibbs said, gesturing at Special Agent Timothy McGee, his team's computer guru, to trace the number on his cell. Having done this plenty of times, McGee nodded and got to work on his computer.

"_Her name is Special Agent Janet McAllister. Last night she was pulled out of a local waterway suffering from a bullet graze to the head. Someone tried to kill her_."

"How do you know her?"

"_We're friends. About a month ago, Janet gave me a flash-drive containing your contact information. She said you two have been friends for twelve years, since you brought her in to NCIS when she was a patrol officer. She also mentioned she trusted you and that if anything happened to her, you were the one to contact._"

McGee gestured towards the plasma; he had traced the call. It was originating from central Miami, near Grace Memorial Hospital. He pulled up a second image and it was a file photo of one Lieutenant Horatio Cane, day-shift supervisor of the Miami-Dade PD crime lab.

"_Now_," Horatio continued, "_around the same time, Janet also mentioned feeling that something bad was going to happen. She didn't know who, what, or when, but she did mention she had been doing some digging on Director Vance's authorization and was starting to think she may have uncovered a dirty agent._"

"And now she's been shot at," Gibbs said.

"_Precisely_."

"Does she have any memory of what happened?"

"_Only fragments that include a shattered window and someone screaming. The rest of it, like her identity, is a blank_."

"Has she been reported missing yet?"

"_Not as far as I know. When I called her desk this morning, I was told she was out and no one knew when she would be back. The thing is, Agent Gibbs, the thing is we were supposed to meet for dinner last night and she never showed. That, as I am sure you are aware, is not like Janet_," Horatio said. "_I found out afterwards, through one of my CSI's, that she was in hospital and listed as a Jane Doe, refusing to submit prints or DNA and believing that someone may have an alert out for her_."

"So NCIS doesn't know she's missing."

"_Not yet_."

"But someone tried to kill her."

"_Yes_."

Gibbs was quiet for a moment and then, listening to his gut, said, "I'll talk to Director Vance and we'll be on our way."

"_Thank you. I will make sure my lab is at your disposal,_" Horatio said. "_Call me when you get in_." He hung up.

While writing down the number that had come up on his cell, Gibbs barked, "Lieutenant Horatio Caine. Talk to me."

Having anticipated this, McGee had run the man's name through the computer. "Day-shift supervisor of the Miami-Dade crime lab, which is considered one of the best labs in the states for number of crimes solved and he's been doing it for over ten years. Got a background as a member of the local bomb squad, was a homicide detective in New York City before transferring to Miami-Dade PD before taking over the crime lab. Plenty of commendations, plenty of awards, nothing to suggest that this guy is anything other than an honest, hard-working cop."

"Are we going to Miami, boss?" Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo asked, coming up to Gibbs' desk, all but drooling at the thought of his favourite thing to watch; babes and bikinis.

Gibbs glared at him. "That'll depend on what Vance has to say. Agent Janet McAllister has been shot at and Lieutenant Caine thinks she may have uncovered a dirty agent."

"Any idea what happened?" Agent Ziva David asked, joining them.

"Apparently just fragments at best, which describes the rest of her memory," Gibbs said, leaving his desk to head for Director Vance's office.

"I remember Janet," McGee said. "I liked her and I was sorry to hear she'd transferred to Miami but she said it was for the best and that she wanted a change."

"I remember her, too," Ziva said. "I taught her to speak Hebrew and she found me a book on American slang and terms. She was always very kind to me."

"Funny, she never seemed to like me," Tony said, almost pouting.

"Because you made the mistake of making a pass at her and trying to be what you call charming and what she called a blithering idiot in pants," Abby Sciuto said coming up to them, a mischievous grin on her face.

McGee and Ziva sniggered while Tony glared at Abby. "And you would know this how?" he asked.

"Who do you think listened to her rant after you made your pass at her?" Abby asked, still grinning. "We women have to stick together, especially around guys like you."

Ziva snorted with laughter and McGee grinned even wider. "Now you know why I won't let my sister near you," he said, referring to his younger sister, Sarah.

"Your sister is too young for me, McGeek," Tony shot back witheringly.

"Gee, now there's a surprise," Ziva said sweetly.

Tony glared at them but before he could come up with a smart reply, Gibbs came back down stairs. "Gear up," he said. "We're going to Miami."

"I'll grab the sunblock," Tony said eagerly.

"And DiNozzo?" Gibbs said.

"Yeah, boss?"

"Spring break is over; we're there to work, not play, which means stay away from the girls and keep your shorts at home," Gibbs said, not even glancing up from his desk as he did some quick work on his computer.

Abby, Ziva, and McGee laughed at the crest-fallen look on Tony's face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Gibbs and team arrived in Miami three hours later via a transport plane from Quantico as a result of a favour Vance had called in. The director had all but flung Gibbs towards the base when he'd learned of Janet's situation, stating that the last report he'd received from Janet had suggested she was closing in on something and it wasn't good. Now, the fact that she had been shot at definitely didn't bode well.

"Whatever snake Agent McAllister uncovered, I want it found before it slithers back under a rock and I want its head smashed in, am I understood?" Vance had stated.

"Yes sir," Gibbs had replied.

Having contacted Horatio upon their arrival, the lieutenant had suggested they meet at the crime lab where Gibbs and his people could be quickly brought up to date on Janet's situation.

The crime lab was all glass and sunlight and bustling people. Gibbs was glad he had grabbed his rarely-used sunglasses before leaving the house as he had a feeling he was going to need them just to walk through the building when the sun was brightest.

"Abby would be in heaven," McGee said, eyes wide as he took in their surroundings while waiting for Horatio, whom Reception had paged.

"Never mind Abby_, I'm _in heaven," Tony said, eyeing the women around them appreciatively and fairly drooling. "Babes, babes, and- _ow_!" Gibbs had just had head-slapped him.

"Focus, DiNozzo," Gibbs said calmly.

Blinking to clear the stars, Tony said, "Right boss. Focusing."

"And many a times I wish I had done that to someone," came a familiar, amused voice. It was Horatio Caine, an amused smile on his face. "Welcome to Miami," he said, offering his hand to Gibbs, who accepted it. The man had a firm handshake.

"Thank you. These are Special Agents Tony DiNozzo, Tim McGee, and Ziva David," Gibbs said, doing introductions. Hands were shook and then Horatio gestured for them to follow him.

"Because of my personal connection to the case I will not be getting directly involved with the case," Horatio said as they headed down a hallway to a room with a large, brightly lit layout table. On the table were numerous photographs and several reports. "However, Sergeant Frank Tripp and CSI Jesse Cardoza will be assisting you from the PD point." In the room, apparently waiting for them was a bald man in a suit and tie and a no-nonsense attitude about him. Beside him was a younger man with olive skin and black hair who was studying a map of the Florida waterways.

"What will you be doing?" Gibbs asked.

"Keeping Janet safe and that means transferring her out of the hospital to a more secure location until you are able to determine just what happened," Horatio said. Once again, introductions were done and Jesse took the lead.

"At approximately 12:30 pm last night, a bunch of kids spotted our Jane Doe floating downstream," he began. He indicated a spot on the map. "They were concerned and brave enough to haul her in, especially given that this area is known for crocodiles and water mocs. As it is, given her condition, we're not sure how much longer she would have lasted in the water."

"Any idea where she went in?" Gibbs asked.

"Not at this point," Jesse said. "The coast guard is looking around but it's hard to determine just how long she was in the water. The river itself moves at about an average of seven to eight miles an hour in that area."

"I've asked Jesse and Frank to keep an ear out for Janet's car, which was not at her apartment when I drove by this morning," Horatio said.

"There is a BOLO out for it," Frank said, "but we haven't heard anything so far."

"Okay," Gibbs said.

Jesse continued. "When Agent McAllister was found, there was no physical evidence to suggest she had been involved in a struggle. There was no identification on her, her general appearance, aside from being water-logged and suffering a bullet graze to the temple, was that of someone going for a dinner date. The only other physical evidence we were able to find was a bruise on her left collar bone and across her hips, which are consistent with a seatbelt from the driver's side. We also found glass in her hair, which Trace has determined to be auto glass, possibly from a windshield."

"Which is consistent with what little Janet does remember; in this case the sound of glass shattering," Horatio said.

"So she was shot at while she was in the driver's seat of a vehicle," Gibbs said, studying the photos and the map.

"That's what the evidence says," Jesse said. "Now, how she got in to the water, at this point we don't know."

"Her cell records?" McGee asked.

"Aside from Horatio, the last call was from a public payphone about fifteen miles from where Agent McAllister was found," Frank said.

"Checked, dusted, and came up blank," Jesse said. "There were no cameras in the area and a million prints on that thing."

"GPS?" Ziva asked.

"No response," Jesse said. "We checked the location of where she was when she took the last call and cell towers indicate it was at or near her apartment."

Just then, Frank's cell went off and he moved off to take the call. He was back a second later. "That was Dispatch. Coast Guard just found a car submerged in the water, a dark blue convertible, about six miles up from where Agent McAllister was pulled out," he reported. "And get this; there's a body in the front seat."

"Okay, since Janet is supposed to be a Jane Doe, thus a separate case, take Ryan and process the scene accordingly," Horatio said.

"Got it," Frank said.

"Tony, go with him, see what you can find," Gibbs said.

"Got it boss," Tony said automatically.

"McGee, Ziva, head for McAllister's apartment," Gibbs said.

"Jesse," Horatio said.

"Sounds good," Jesse said.

Horatio handed Ziva a set of keys and a folded piece of paper. "These are Janet's apartment keys and a list of passwords and information I found on the flash-drive she had given me some weeks prior." He told her Janet's apartment address.

"Understood," Ziva said, writing down the address.

"And I take it we, Agent Gibbs, are going to pay Janet a visit?" Horatio asked.

"And find some coffee," Gibbs said. "Haven't had some good Cuban coffee in a long time."

"In that case, my friend, I know just the place that serves coffee that will take hair off your teeth," Horatio said, smiling.

"Just the way I like it," Gibbs said.

"Don't let McGee near that stuff," Tony muttered to Jesse, who grinned.

"Why?"

"Because he'll be on a caffeine high for the next _month_ and I have to work with him," Tony said sourly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

At the hospital Janet was outside under the watchful eye of a nurse's aide. A clean bandage was on her head and her hair showed signs of having been washed. Instead of the hospital gown she had been wearing earlier, she now wore comfortable cotton pyjamas with Disney's _Chip 'n Dale_ on them, a long robe, slippers, and thick cotton socks (Horatio knew Janet hated it when her feet got cold, hence the socks in the bag). When Horatio got closer, his nose caught the smell of coconut and oranges, most likely from the Herbal Essence's two-in-one shampoo and the body wash he had thoughtfully picked up for her.

She was seated at a table and carefully peeling a rather large orange but her eyes lit up when she saw them. Then, when she saw Gibbs, there was a glimmer of recognition in her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Horatio asked as he pulled up a chair on one side of her, Gibbs on the other.

"I'll be even better when you hand over that coffee," she said.

Chuckling, Horatio handed her the large cup of coffee he had been carrying. She lifted the lid, took a deep sniff, and sighed deeply. "Manna from heaven," she said. As she took a careful sip, she studied Gibbs over the lid of her coffee. Then she said, "I know you. You're just as bad a coffee addict as I am."

"Guilty as charged," Gibbs said, holding up his own large coffee cup. "What else do you know?"

Memories flashed in her eyes. "There's no such thing as an ex-Marine, only a former," she said. Gibbs nodded. "You brought me in to NCIS when you were still working with Mike Franks. I was a patrol officer who had called in a dead sailor and we got talking." Again Gibbs nodded. "We're friends, always have been. I've never turned down a call for back-up from you and vice-versa and when Ari took Kate, who was also a friend, I offered you a throw-away. You didn't take it but you did ask me to hold on to it."

"Who is Kate?" Gibbs asked.

A memory of a woman with a laughing smile and shoulder-length dark-brown hair came to mind. "Kate Todd, a former Secret Service-turned-NCIS and a member of your team for two years."

"And Ari?"

"A terrorist with a bad attitude problem and hopefully a bullet between his eyes," she replied coldly. "He took Kate and word was he tried to take Abby."

"And Abby?"

"The happiest Goth I've ever known but God help you if you mess with her lab equipment," Janet said, grinning.

"Things are starting to come back," Horatio said, relieved.

"Bits and pieces," she admitted.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Gibbs asked.

The two men watched as Janet bit the inside of her lip. After a moment she shook her head. "I still keep seeing a window shatter and someone screaming. Something happened that shouldn't have happened and I don't know what."

"Phone records say you got a call from a payphone on your cell about twelve miles from where you were found," Gibbs said.

Again Janet shook her head. "I was heading somewhere for dinner, I think. I don't think I had my badge or my gun with me. I don't think I needed it." Then she looked up. "Wait a minute, how did you run my phone records?"

"Once I knew what had happened, I told Jesse Cardoza and Sergeant Tripp and advised them about the situation. I also gave them your information," Horatio said. "Right now, Agent Gibbs has two of his people at your apartment and the Coast Guard found a dark blue convertible in the water approximately six miles from where you were found. Agent Gibbs has one of his people with Sergeant Tripp looking at the car."

"We're operating on the pretence that you are still missing and we will investigate accordingly," Gibbs said.

Janet nodded. Somehow this all felt familiar. "Is there a chance I can leave here?" she asked. "The faster I move the less chance I have of being found."

"As soon as the doctor clears you," Gibbs said. "You may have a hard head but the doctor has the final say."

"Fine but I'm not going back in to my room without a weapon under my pillow," she said.

"Thought you might say that," Gibbs said. He reached behind him and removed a holstered weapon. It was a small-frame Smith and Wesson LadySmith revolver. "Something from Ziva," he said. "Five rounds and apparently designed for women." He handed the gun over to Janet who examined it with practiced eyes and hands.

"And fully loaded," Janet said. "I remember talking weapons with Ziva before I left. Thanks."

Then Gibbs' cell went off.

"Yeah, Gibbs." He listened to the person on the other end of the line and then said, "Find out, DiNozzo." He hung up. "The car that was in the water?"

"Yeah?"

"DMV says it's yours except there's a blonde female in the front seat," Gibbs said.

"Who?" Horatio asked.

"No identification yet but coroner says she may have been beaten to death and she's been in the water for at least twenty-four hours. DiNozzo also said the windshield was shattered and he spotted what may be a bullet in the headrest of the driver's seat," Gibbs said. He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table, looking at Janet. "Just who did you manage to seriously piss off?"

Wrapping her hands around her coffee, Janet shivered, feeling as if her blood had suddenly run cold.

At the side of the road, where CSI Ryan Wolfe was carefully examining Janet McAllister's car, Dr. Tom Loman carefully covered up the blonde woman who had been in the driver's seat of the car. Tony had just gotten off his cell with his boss and now approached the medical examiner.

"Identification as soon as possible, doc," he said.

"As soon as I know," Loman said.

"Appreciate it," Tony said.

"Any idea if this is any connection to Agent McAllister?" Tripp asked, coming up to them.

"She was in the agent's car and I don't believe in coincidences," Tony said.

"How tall is Agent McAllister?" Ryan called.

"About five foot six," Tony called back. "Why?"

"And the victim?" Ryan asked.

"At least four inches shorter," Loman said.

"In that case, she did not put herself in the car willingly," Ryan said as Tony and Tripp joined him. "Her feet would have been too far away to reach the pedals with the seat positioned the way it is."

"She may have been a witness," Tripp said.

"Which means someone didn't just want to shut McAllister up, someone wanted to shut _everyone_ up," Tony said. "Why does this feel familiar?"

"Because we've seen it before?" Tripp asked sourly. "A good witness is a dead witness according to some people."

Imitating Jack Nicholson, Tony said, "How do ya like them apples?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Janet McAllister's apartment was located in a nice part of Miami and Tim, Jesse, and Ziva easily gained access to the front door with the keys Horatio had given them. However, when they got to the apartment door on the third floor, it was to discover that someone had beaten them to the apartment already.

Scowling, Tim shined a light on the door knob. "Lousy job of picking the lock," he said.

"Someone knew Janet would be away from her apartment for some time," Ziva said. "And that someone went looking."

"Hope we're not too late," Jesse said, taking out his camera and taking a few evidence photos of the lock.

The inside of the apartment was fairly tidy and to the untrained eye it didn't look as if someone had searched the apartment. The trio entered carefully, snapping on latex gloves and unholstering their weapons. Within minutes all three reported the apartment as being clear. Whoever had searched the apartment earlier was long gone.

"Okay, well, I doubt we'll find any prints so let's see what we can find," Jesse said.

Ziva took out the piece of paper Horatio had given her. "The first thing on the list is something called 'Girls Night Out'," she said, handing the paper to Tim.

"Doesn't sound like anything I'm familiar with," Tim said, approaching what was clearly Janet's desk and computer.

"Unless you count an actual girls night out," Jesse said, looking around.

Then Tim spotted something. It was a series of seven photos on a collage frame that reminded him of a roll of film and it was located near the desk. He grinned when he saw the photos. Calling attention to the photos, he jerked his head. "Girls night out with Abby and Kate," he said. "Looks like they had a little fun at a night club a few years back." Surrounding the grinning and laughing women were attractive male strippers wearing little more than thongs or g-strings.

"Abby took me to one of those places for my birthday once," Ziva confessed, studying the pictures. She grinned mischievously. "It was fun."

While Tim checked behind the photo frame, Jesse moved to the kitchen and Ziva to Janet's bedroom. She was glad she had taken the bedroom this time, not because Janet was tidy for an agent but because of what she found. On the bed was a very sexy black lace teddy and sheer black robe that would have had the majority of the male population panting. As it was, Ziva suspected it had been intended for someone special, someone who had yet to see it, namely one Horatio Caine.

A search of the rest of the bedroom turned up nothing of any interest, except that Janet's back-up weapon was where it was supposed to be; under her pillow and loaded.

The bathroom, reasonably tidy as it was, did not turn up anything, except for Ziva to note that Janet took a daily women's multi-vitamin. Otherwise, her bathroom could have been the same as Ziva's, except that Janet seemed to like a perfume called _Egyptian Goddess Fine Perfume Oil_, something she'd never heard of but a quick sniff suggested she might try it later.

In the kitchen Jesse noted nothing out of the ordinary. There were a few non-perishables on the counter, a pot of water with very soggy noodles in it, and a cutting board with a sharp knife lying across it. A quick check of the fridge revealed it was fully stocked with the makings of a salad in the vegetable bin and a large quantity of Florida oranges in the fruit bin. Stir-fry pork chops, still in their protective package, were also in the fridge. It looked like Janet had been about to prepare dinner when she'd gotten the call from the payphone.

One thing both Ziva and Jesse noted was that Janet's purse and wallet were not in the apartment. But if the would-be killer had been forced to pick the lock to enter Janet's apartment, then where were her keys?

It was Tim who hit the jackpot.

"Bingo!" he yelled, having found a small key hidden behind one of the photos on the wall. The top part of the key was white, which lead him to a white locked rollfront filing cabinet. Inside the cabinet was a fireproof safe with a digital lock. Using the numbers on the paper, Tim quickly opened the safe and pulled out a very valuable find; an external hard-drive and connecting cord. Also in the safe were Janet's service weapon, extra clips, and some mini CDs he decided to take a look at, since all they had were dates on them. The rest of the items were identification papers, licence and registrations for her weapons and vehicle, rental agreement, and so forth. There was even an extra set of keys for her car, mailbox, apartment, and work desk. These Tim kept in case they needed to access her desk at NCIS or her mailbox.

With the information on the paper, it didn't take long for Tim to access Janet's computer or the external hard-drive. As he worked, his eyes began to grow wide. Janet had been on to something and it hadn't been good.

"We need to take this back to the lab," he told his companions. "There's nothing work-related on the main hard-drive but this external drive is a virtual goldmine."

"What did you find?" Ziva asked, joining him.

"It looks like Janet was following a rather interesting trail that consists of e-mails, photos, transcribed phone calls, records, transactions, and so forth, of what looks like arms dealings," Tim said. "She kept a regular account of her findings and the second to last one said she was sure she was getting close to a suspect and had a bad feeling that her suspect was someone inside NCIS. She also mentioned a Patty Watson, her probie, as helping her but suspecting something was up with Patty. The last entry is a brief note saying she had gotten a phone call from Patty and was on her way to meet her."

"What was the date and the time?" Jesse asked.

Tim grinned. "The time of the phone call from the payphone."

"Patty Watson called her," Ziva said. "And shortly afterwards someone tried to kill Janet. That cannot be a coincidence."

"I think we need to find Patty," Tim said, taking out his cell to call Gibbs.

"Probie?" Jesse asked Ziva quietly as they left the apartment with the hard-drive and a few other items from Janet's desk that Tim wanted to have a closer look at.

"A junior field agent working under a senior field agent," Ziva explained. "Technically I'm a probie."

"You guys get hazed?" Jesse asked, grinning.

"Hazed?" Ziva asked, not familiar with the term.

"An initiation ritual for the newbie that usually involves humiliation or harassment," Tim said, overhearing the conversation. "My hazing involved getting my head slapped by both Tony and Kate. Mind you, working with Gibbs when he's grouchy is a hazing every time. You?"

Jesse grinned. "I had to assist the medical examiner with a very bloated corpse that had been in the water for nearly a week." He looked at Ziva, whom he had taken a liking to.

"I work with Tony DiNozzo every day," Ziva said. "That is a hazing enough."

"Good point," Tim said, grinning. Jesse looked at them, confused. "Wait until a pretty woman talks to him. He turns in to what he thinks is Don Juan but it kind of falls a little flat."

"A little?" Ziva yelped. "That man cannot possibly look at any woman without making some sort of, of sexist comment! He practically lives and breathes women!"

"That bad, huh?" Jesse asked, grinning. "In that case, don't let him near Calleigh Duquesne. She's our ballistics expert and a Southern girl. She'll smile sweetly, shred him, and keep on going without a second's hesitation."

"I want to watch," Tim said, grinning evily.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

On the way out of the hospital, Horatio had been practically ambushed by an attractive black woman who clearly knew him. It turned out her name was Dr. Alexx Woods and she was his former medical examiner until she had decided it was time to take care of the living. To Gibbs, there was clearly a great deal of friendship and affection between the two, as evident by the enthusiastic hug Woods had given Horatio and the way he had smiled.

"So what's with you and this Jane Doe of ours?" she demanded, hands on her hips and a teasing grin on her face. "You two are awfully cozy."

Horatio ducked his head, blushing slightly, and smiling. "Her name is Janet McAllister and we have been seeing each other," he admitted. "Alexx, this is Agent Gibbs, NCIS, from Washington, D.C. Janet is also NCIS, and he's investigating her assault and subsequent disappearance." There was a hidden underlying message in his tone of voice and eyes and Alexx, having worked with him for so long, quickly got it.

She nodded. "I'll keep an eye on her," she said.

"The sooner she's out of here...." Horatio said.

"I'll do what I can, baby," she promised. Then she turned to Gibbs. "Now you, you absolutely cannot leave Miami without having a good, proper Miami dinner, you hear me?"

Gibbs grinned. "I'll let the rest of my team know," he promised.

"Good. Your hand says you're not married. God knows what you eat on your own," she scoffed.

Gibbs grinned even wider but shrugged. "A steak and beer is always good."

Alexx scoffed. "Not from a doctor's point of view, sugar. And Horatio, you bring that girl of yours; I want to see who's caught your fancy this time."

Horatio smiled and ducked his head again. "I'll see what I can do, Alexx, I'll see what I can do."

Back at the lab, Dr. Loman had brought the victim from Janet's car back and was already beginning to examine her.

"Well, I have some good news and some bad news," he said.

"Good news, please, Doc," Gibbs said.

"We've identified her," Loman said.

"And the bad news?" Horatio asked.

"Her name is Patty Watson and she's an NCIS agent," Loman said. "Someone beat this poor girl to death, possibly with the barrel of a gun."

"Patty Watson is Janet McAllister's probie and McGee said she was the one who made the phone call to McAllister," Gibbs said. "Looks like we won't have to look for her after all."

"So she made the phone call and then someone beat her to death," Horatio said. "Is it possible she was not a willing caller and that both women were set up?"

"That's one possibility," Gibbs admitted. "Or she willingly made the call to set McAllister up and then someone double-crossed her. Or she willingly made the phone call but didn't realize McAllister was being set up."

"And then when she tried to stop the person who was trying to kill her supervisor, that person turned on her," Loman said, following his logic. "She did put up a bit of a fight but the water destroyed any possible DNA evidence."

Gibbs thought for a moment then said, "Watson's apartment and desk."

"Mr. Wolfe is still processing the car," Horatio said. "I'll grab Calleigh and send her to the apartment."

"I'll boot DiNozzo and Ziva that way and we'll check her desk. Agent Watson was involved in this, somehow. I just don't know how."

"She may have been an innocent pawn in this."

"In my line of work there is no such thing as innocent pawns," Gibbs said. At Horatio's curious look, he explained. "Fifteen years of chasing after terrorists will do that to you; you start looking for 'em everywhere."

Calleigh Duquesne was a pretty blonde woman with a Southern accent and a no-nonsense attitude. Gibbs was sure DiNozzo was going to try and make a pass at her the minute he saw her; DiNozzo and blondes was the equivalent of moths and flames. However, she quickly dispelled the notion to Gibbs that she was anything but ditzy, especially with what she had for them.

"I just got the bullet Ryan dug out of the car's headrest and you are not going to like this," she said, once introductions had been made.

"There are a lot of things I don't like about this case; what's one more?" Gibbs asked sourly.

"The fact that this bullet matches at least seven others from seven unsolved murders, murders Agent McAllister had asked me to look in to," Calleigh said.

That got their attention. "She did?" Horatio asked.

Calleigh nodded and pulled up the cases.

"Juan Garcia, age 28, shot point-blank behind the Rainbow on January 15th, 2008. No witnesses, no cameras, no evidence. He was a drug dealer who had a share in the Rainbow, a stripper club with a history of drug trafficking but the DEA has had a hard time cracking down on it."

"Mikhail Lipinskii, age 43, Coast Guard pulled him out of the water near the shipping docks on April 3rd, 2009. Cause of death was a bullet to the chest. He was a Russian immigrant with ties to gun running."

"Any suspects?" Gibbs asked.

"Just like Mr. Garcia, too many to count," Calleigh said. She continued.

"Carlos Lopez, 21, one shot to the knee and one to the head, found on a dirt road in Alligator Alley on May 9th, 2009. Coroner said he'd been there for at least a few days. Trace found evidence of cocaine on him and records said he'd been busted at least twice for drug dealing but the DEA said he was a low-level distributor."

"He pissed someone off," Gibbs said.

"And paid for it with his life," Horatio said.

"Jonathan Andrews, 31, gunshot to the head on August 31st, 2009. CEO of a shipping company, he was found at his desk the next morning by his secretary. Again, plenty of suspects but no witnesses and no prints. The investigator, our beloved Frank Tripp, figured someone had been trying to muscle in on the shipping business, Andrews had said no, and took a bullet to the head for it."

"Amber Liang, 19, gunshot to the head on February 14th, 2010 and dumped in a garbage bin in an alleyway. She was a Chinese prostitute who had first been beaten before being shot. Evidence said she'd had sex before being murdered. Stripped, washed, and tossed."

"And no evidence and no witnesses," Horatio said.

"Not even her pimp knew who had hired her," Calleigh said. "And last but not least, Kerry Pyle, age 25, and Officer Paula Wentworth, a US Marshal, age 32. Kerry was supposed to testify against a drug dealer by the name of Antonio Martez but someone got there first. She went to the washroom at the courthouse and both she and Wentworth, who was with her at the time, were found dead a short time later."

"And no one heard the gunshots?" Gibbs said.

"Bullets said silencer," Calleigh said.

"And now Agent McAllister and possibly Agent Watson," Gibbs said.

"No connections other than the bullets?" Horatio asked.

"None, or if there is, no one is talking," Calleigh said.

"Not yet, anyway," Gibbs said. "The son of a bitch who who's been doing this made one bad mistake; he left someone alive."

"Let's hope she remembers in time," Calleigh said.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Four and a half months ago:_

He had been sitting down at a counter to get some coffee and real food when two Private Marines had started harassing him about not knowing this was their space. He thought about flashing his badge but this wasn't his town and he wasn't sure if he could get away with it or what would happen if he did. He really didn't want to get in to a fight with these guys. He was hungry, craving fresh coffee, and maybe hoping to do a little sightseeing.

"Gentlemen, that's enough," came a soft, firm voice beside him. It belonged to an attractive brunette woman wearing a one-button blazer in chocolate, with a matching vest, white tee, and dark blue jeans over black suede cowboy booties who had quietly taken the chair beside him. Her tan full-length wool coat hung over the back of her chair. She didn't raise her voice, didn't even look up from her examination of the menu, simply continued on. "I know your C.O. and I'm sure it's fair to say he would not appreciate having a visit from NCIS because you were harassing a LEO." Before the Marines could scoff or protest, she took a sip of her coffee the waitress had just poured for her and held up an identification badge and then flipped it to reveal a gold shield they were evidently familiar with.

The two men beat it.

"Thanks," Horatio said, smiling.

"No problem. I'm sure they're good boys and they will probably be excellent Marines but right now they're a bit young and full of themselves," she said. "It does happen."

"What's a LEO?" he asked.

"Law Enforcement Officer," she replied.

"And NCIS?" he asked.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Services. We investigate crimes and terrorist activities involving the Navy and the Marines, both the serving and their dependants," she explained.

"What about CID?"

"The Army is their jurisdiction," she said. "The grilled ham and cheese is particularly good and they offer a side salad with a dressing of your choice. Of course, if you prefer something else, I recommend the club sandwich."

"Thank you, that sounds good," he said. He placed his order for the club sandwich with a Caesar salad as a side and more coffee.

"Were you at the conference at The Hamilton?" she asked.

"That's right, I remember seeing you there," he said.

"Where are you from?"

"Miami."

"Ever been this way before?"

"Can't say I have."

She turned to him and offered her hand. "Special Agent Janet McAllister, NCIS."

He accepted her hand and said, "Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade PD crime lab."

"I've got a bit of time; would you like a tour of Washington that doesn't include the usual tourists' spots?"

"Let me guess; you know a few."

"NCIS for twelve years, a patrol cop for five, you're damn right I do."

"In that case, that, Agent McAllister, that sounds like an excellent idea." And he smiled at her.

And she was hooked.

It was that smile Janet was thinking about a few nights later as she sat at her desk. She and Horatio had talked a lot and she had found him to be an enjoyable companion with a diverse background. He had been handsome, charming, and a gentleman. Plus she'd always had a thing about men with red hair, and those beautiful blue eyes of his... she knew that if he'd suggested it, she would have gladly followed him back to his hotel room but he had clearly been too much of a gentleman to even hint at it.

Pity.

Then a few days later after she'd dropped him off at the airport, a box had arrived for her. It had contained straight-from-the-grove Florida oranges, a map of Miami, and a note from Horatio, inviting her to come and visit and to give him a call if she ever did. Inside the map was his business card, which she had added to her Rolodex.

She had admitted to him that since Director Vance took over after Director Sheppard had been killed, she'd felt like she was in a bit of a holding pattern. Over the last two years, Vance had been making subtle changes to the agency and a few people had been axed or shunted as a result. Other than providing back-up and extra bodies for whoever asked for it, she had really been doing anything. Technically she was a senior supervisory agent but unofficially she was filler, filling in where needed.

Horatio had suggested that maybe it was time she moved on. He hadn't suggested that she leave NCIS, merely relocate somewhere else, go somewhere where she was needed. She had enough experience behind her that surely she could pick and choose.

"Working late again?" came Gibbs' quiet voice as he stopped by her desk, interrupting her thoughts. She looked up and smiled at her old friend. They had never dated, had never been lovers, just good friends who knew they could count on each other when needed. He had brought her in to NCIS when she'd been a patrol officer, meeting over a dead sailor. He had still been working with Mike Franks, now retired, and she had seriously been considering going for her detective's badge when Gibbs had made her a better offer.

"Just lost in thought," she said. "Drink for a moment of your time?" she asked on impulse.

"I never turn down a drink from a pretty lady," he said, smiling, pulling up a chair to her desk. He accepted the glass of cognac she handed him and sniffed. "You must be desperate," he said. "This is your good stuff."

And it was; Rémy Martin 1988 Vintage Premier Cru, a gift from a grateful senator whose son she'd protected when he'd started receiving death threats. Normally she drank the Grand Cru, which she also kept in her desk drawer, but tonight she felt that things called for something a little extra special.

"Tell me about it; the last time I opened this stuff was when Jen died and the time before that was when Kate died," she said, sipping from her own glass.

"So that was you who left the glass on Jen's desk," Gibbs said.

"She did appreciate the good stuff, and there ain't no finer stuff than this," she said.

"What's up?"

"Been thinking it's time for me to move on."

"You're thinking of leaving NCIS?"

"No, God no. No, just, just relocate. I've been in a holding pattern since Vance took over, wondering whether he's going to keep me or fire me."

"He's been at that desk for two years," he pointed out. "If he was going to fire you, he would have done so by now."

"Eh, I don't know. He's a law in to himself. Just before Jen took off for L.A., she and I had an evaluation interview and she said something about putting me with my own unit. Then that kind of got put on hold."

"And now you don't know if Vance is going to keep Jen's word or do something of his own."

"Exactly."

"Any ideas where you'll head?"

She pulled out the map of Miami and tossed it on her desk. "I hear they're short a few good people down there, and relations between the PD and NCIS have gotten a bit sour as of late. Besides, the idea of fresh orange juice every morning...."

Gibbs grinned at her. He had seen the box of oranges and had even been offered one by her. "You met a guy at that conference Abby was raving about, didn't you?"

She just lifted her glass to her lips and grinned. "You're not the only one who likes red-heads." Then she sobered. "I am serious though. He was right; maybe it's time I stopped waiting and made a move of my own."

He nodded. "You're a good agent, Jan; you deserve a team of your own. Talk to Vance; he may seem like an unapproachable prick, but he can and does listen to reason and you're too good to let go. If you know where you want to go, then say so. Vance seems to like those who think for themselves."

"He does, huh?"

He nodded. "Talk to him."

And so she did. And Vance one-upped her; he sent her to Miami, not only to assist with communications between the Miami-Dade PD but also to, as he put it, clean up the unit. He had been getting reports from the head office down there and he didn't like what he was seeing.

"You clean up that office by the end of the year and it's yours," he said.

"How much clout do I have?"

"Do whatever you have to do, just make sure I get the reports and the final say. But clean it up."

"I'll grab my sunscreen."

She was in Miami by the end of the month.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

_Nearly four months ago:_

It had been, for once, a fairly quiet day at the crime lab, allowing both CSI and the lab personnel time to catch up on some backlog and paperwork while they could.

Horatio had been at his desk thinking about getting some lunch and coffee when his cell had gone off.

"Caine," he said, not recognizing the number.

"_Horatio? It's Janet McAllister, NCIS_."

Horatio smiled. He had liked the friendly brunette agent he'd met in Washington, D.C. and had hoped he would be hearing from her again. "Janet. How are you?"

"_I'm good, thank you. You were right; Miami is beautiful_."

"I take it you're in town?"

"_I am and I was hoping I could buy you lunch._"

"Where are you?" he asked, smiling.

There was a hesitant pause and then she said, "_Reception_."

His eyebrows shot up. "I'll be right there," he said. He hung up and grabbed his jacket, sunglasses, weapon, and badge, and headed for Reception.

He nearly didn't recognize her, with her hair up and wearing a halter dress in colors that reminded him of the ocean and the reefs on a warm summer day. She may have been an agent in Washington, but today she was all woman and an attractive one at that. When she saw him, she smiled shyly, clearly not sure how her presence would be received.

"So you came," he said, smiling at her and tipping his head sideways.

"I did. Actually, I've been in Miami for over a week, almost two," she admitted. "Director Vance transferred me to the NCIS office here and it's taken me a bit to get settled in. I'm the new liaison between NCIS and the PD."

"That is precisely what we need," he admitted.

"So I hear. I'm hoping, since you're a supervisor here, you can fill me in on some of the trouble spots over lunch. My treat."

"I would like that. Any place in particular?"

"As long as the coffee's good and they don't serve what amounts to rabbit food, I'm happy."

He chuckled. "In that case, Janet, I believe I know just the place."

In the weeks that followed Janet quickly won over the majority of the head supervisors in the department, proving to have a deft hand at soothing jurisdiction and case battles between NCIS and MDPD (or, as she once bluntly put it, putting a cork in the pissing contests. Horatio had nearly had a driving accident as a result, laughing as he was).

During that time, Horatio found himself spending a lot of his off-duty time in her company. Those who cared about him, like Calleigh and Eric, only smiled, wanting him to be happy again.

Lieutenant Rick Stetler, formerly of IAB and now of S.O.C. or Special Operations Command, on the other hand, objected to Janet's presence, her role, and her relationship with Horatio, threatening to report it as fraternization to IAB. His problem with her was very basic; she was a federal agent and, in his eyes, little better than a glory grabber. Horatio was pleased when Janet quickly and coldly put an end to his meddling by reminding Stetler that as far as fraternization went, she was a federal agent and not a CSI or a member of the MDPD. As a result, their cases seldom crossed. Professionally, they shared information. Personally, what they did on their off-time was nobody's business but their own, least of all IAB or Stetler's. She also reminded him that as a federal agent with a very long reach, she could and, if she chose to do so, would make life very, very difficult for him.

He backed off.

The first time they had kissed had been a bit of an accident. He had been about to say good-night and she had reached up to kiss him on the cheek after a dinner date. Their lips had collided and Horatio, never one to be slow on the up-take, had quickly taken advantage of the situation. While they hadn't been intimate, it had been several hours later before he left her apartment that night.

He had taken things slowly with her because he had wanted to be sure but lately he'd been feeling sorely tested and he suspected Janet was beginning to feel the same way. The sexual tension had been rising and the night Janet had gone missing, he'd seen the suggestive look in her eyes and had put a little something extra in his wallet.

Then she had vanished.

And he had grown worried, especially when his calls to her cell, home, and work place had gone unanswered. He had even driven by her apartment the next morning, the knot in his stomach growing when he couldn't spot her car, there or at NCIS.

Then Jesse had come to him with a case about a Jane Doe who was refusing to submit DNA or prints and he had seen her photo. After ordering Jesse to put a BOLO on Janet's car asap, he had quickly accessed the flash drive she'd given him a month ago. It had contained passwords and contact information, particularly on Director Leon Vance and Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

In Gibbs' file, which had included a photo, Janet had described the senior agent.

"A former Marine sniper, he is a seasoned Major Case Response Team (MCRT) investigator and a confessed coffee addict. Brought me in to NCIS when I was a patrol cop, meeting over the body of a deceased sailor. Bourbon is his preferred poison, as well as working with wood using hand tools. Can be a bastard when he chooses to be or when he's grouchy. Does not do techno or lab-speak, so keep it 'in English'. Hates new technology and once went through three cell phones in two months. Do not let him behind the wheel if you're in a hurry; you will get there five minutes faster than you should have but you may have a heart attack on the way. Do not spill or get in the way of his coffee or hurt-kill one of 'his' people if you want to live. Otherwise a damn good friend and occasional flirt, especially with women with red hair."

Janet's description of the senior agent had been fairly accurate, Horatio later decided, watching Gibbs down what had to be his fourth cup of coffee since he'd come to Miami. "And I thought Frank was bad," he thought, grinning to himself. They were at NCIS and Gibbs, wearing latex gloves, was carefully examining Janet's desk drawer contents, having been given the keys from Tim, while Tim, who had been picked up by Gibbs and Horatio, was going through Agent Watson's. A few people had passed them by, giving them curious looks but no one said anything. Both Horatio and Gibbs knew, however, the rumours would start flying fast and hard, especially since neither agent had been seen in the last twenty-four, almost thirty-six, hours.

"She may have relocated to Miami but some things don't change," Gibbs said, placing two bottles of cognac on Janet's desk.

Horatio smiled, watching.

"And I just found a Magic Lock Box," Tim said, holding up a fancy-looking box decorated with a mermaid and a moon on top.

"A what?" Gibbs asked.

"A special box that can only be opened if you know the secret," Tim explained. "I got one for my sister one year and she loves it." He shook it and something inside rattled. Examining it closely, he grinned and lifted something from the top of the box. A panel moved and Tim pulled open the drawer. Then his brow furrowed. "Boss?"

"Yeah?"

"Why would Agent Watson have a test-fired bullet hidden in her desk?"

"A what?" Tim held up a .45 calibre bullet between his fingers. "Test-fired? Are you sure?"

"Too much time around Abby," Tim said.

"Get it back to the lab; find out who it belongs to," Gibbs said. Then he made a find of his own; a key taped under the Lord Ganesha figurine on Janet's desk, with the initials PSW engraved on it. He tossed it to Tim. "See if this fits in anything on Watson's desk," he said.

Tim did so and shook his head. "Nothing for here, boss," he said.

"That key was there for a reason," Gibbs muttered.

"But who put it there?" Horatio asked.

"I'm starting to hate this case," Gibbs said. "Too many questions, too many puzzles, and not enough answers." Aside from the key, Janet's desk was clean. He looked at Tim. "Anything on Watson's computer?"

"At first glance, I'm not seeing anything," Tim said.

"You have an hour," Gibbs said.

"Got it, boss."

"We're running out of time," Horatio said.

"And we have too many suspects to count," Gibbs said sourly.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was conference time for NCIS, MDPD, and CSI. They had gathered in a large conference room with a lit layout table. After introductions had been made (and Ziva had quietly told Tim Tony had made a pass at Calleigh, only to be shot down faster than a bullet, much to her delight), Gibbs took the lead. Horatio was not with them, having opted to go see Janet at the hospital in the hopes that she might remember some more.

"Computers. Where are we on that?" Gibbs asked.

Tim spoke up. "Agent McAlister's external drive, the one found at her apartment, contains about four months worth of work. She was tracking weapon shipments that had gone missing, weapons that were scheduled to be destroyed from the local Marine and Navy bases."

"Any connection to the dead drug dealers she had asked Calleigh about?" Gibbs asked.

"So far just the bullet," Tim said. "Now, she was also tracking money transactions from various weapon dealers, money that was coming and going to and from an off-shore account."

"Who?"

"We don't know," Jesse said. "The account is covered with so many holding companies and port jumps that it's taking us a while to track it. Our AV Tech, Dave Benton, is working on it."

"And Abby's doing what she can," Tim said.

"You pulled in Abby?"

"She would have shot me if I hadn't," Tim said sourly.

Gibbs nodded at that. He knew his favourite Goth forensic specialist didn't like to be left out of anything when it came to her friends and Janet had been a friend.

"We find the owner of the account, we find our dealer," Jesse said.

"Agent Watson's apartment?" Gibbs asked.

"Signs of a lover but no idea who," Tony said. "We did find a condom and DNA is being run as we speak."

"We also found a diary and it mentions someone named Jason as her lover," Ziva said. "No last name and the diary only goes back a few weeks."

"Her service weapon and badge weren't in the apartment," Calleigh said, "but her car was."

"Could she have been picked up and taken to the crime scene?" Tripp asked.

"It's possible. We're running her cell phone records now," Calleigh said.

"We didn't find anything in Agent McAllister's car, so the killer may have tossed everything in the swamp," Ryan said.

"Good luck finding anything in there," Tripp said sourly.

"The only other noteworthy thing we found was a mini CD with Agent McAllister's name on it," Tony said.

"It's a heavily encrypted video file," Tim said. "Again, working on it."

Gibbs sighed heavily. "The bullet from Agent Watson's desk?"

"A perfect match to the bullets from the cold cases and our current cases," Calleigh said.

"So Agent Watson either had or found our gun," Ryan said. "Question is, where is it now?"

"Storage locker? Safe?" Tripp asked.

"Nada on both," Tony said. "Not even a safe deposit box."

"And the key from McAllister's desk?" Gibbs asked.

"Not a match to anything at Agent Watson's apartment," Ziva said.

"So Watson is involved, we just don't know how," Jesse said.

"The car?" Gibbs asked.

"Bullet went through the windshield on the driver's side and lodged in the driver's headrest," Ryan said. "The car also had blown tires and damage to the passenger side of the car. We found a spike strip about half a mile from the scene, no prints. We're attempting to track it but that may take a while."

"Aren't spike strips primarily law enforcement?" Ziva asked.

"Also found on military bases and over-seas," Tony pointed out. "And with a bit of cash, you could probably get one off of e-Bay or any other place on the Net."

Gibbs scowled.

Ziva nodded. "The spike strip says Agent McAllister was ambushed. It would have damaged the car, preventing a possible escape. And yet, the killer missed an easy target."

"Did he?" Jesse asked. "Dr. Loman said Agent Watson put a fight. What if she realized she had been double-crossed and tried to save Agent McAllister?"

"By attacking the killer and deflecting the shot?" Ryan asked.

"Not the first time a woman turned on her lover," Tony said. "if the killer was her lover."

"And she paid for it," Ziva said.

"Prints, anything? Hair, even?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing in the car, thanks to the water," Ryan said. "No sign of either agent's identification, purses, or weapons."

"Only Janet and Lieutenant Caine's prints in her apartment," Ziva said.

"And someone wiped down Agent Watson's apartment but missed both a wineglass in the dishwasher and the condom," Calleigh said. "Natalia Boa Vista is running the DNA now. Fingers crossed we'll get a hit."

Gibbs sighed heavily and took a sip of his coffee. This was the part of cases he hated; waiting.

"I hate to say it but right now the answers we need are locked inside Agent McAllister's head and until she remembers what happened, those computers are our best bet," Ryan said.

"Alright, pull as many people as you can on the computers and that mini CD thing," Gibbs said. "The faster we find that account, the better. McGee, go hunting."

"Got it, boss."

"Pull Agent Watson's cell and phone records, all of 'em and compare," Gibbs said. "If NCIS gives you trouble..."

"Understood, boss," Tony said.

"I want to know what that damn key is for and why Watson had a bullet from the missing murder weapon."

"Do we assume she's innocent or guilty?" Ziva asked.

"She's a player in the game, but what she is, we don't know yet," Calleigh said.

"Go through her diary; find out," Gibbs said.

"Understood," Calleigh said.

"First thing in the morning, we go back to NCIS and we start talking to people. I want to know who Watson was seeing, what she ate, what she wore, I want everything from birth onwards," Gibbs said.

There was a round of nods; Gibbs wanted a victim profile of Agent Watson and possibly anyone and everyone she may have associated with.

The next morning brought answers and another dead body. MDPD had been called out to a female victim during the night, found about ten miles from the first crime scene. Identification on the body said her name was Mary Custer, a Miami resident. She had been shot three times in the chest. When the CSI night-shift had run ballistics on the bullets recovered from the victim, AFIS had kicked back a match.

"The bullets matched our bullets," Calleigh said tiredly the next morning. "It looks like she was a witness to the murders and attempted murders of your agents and because she was a civilian, MDPD is now officially on board."

"I want this bastard in Autopsy yesterday!" Gibbs snarled.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

As the day wore on, it brought more news. DNA had finally finished their work and the computers had found a match to both the glass and the condom; NCIS Agent Jason Collins. Gibbs sent Tripp, Tony, and Ziva to find the agent and bring him in for a chat.

Collins wasn't at work but Tony, working his charm with some of the women in the office, found out where the agent could usually be found; at a popular beach resort, more than likely sunbathing and hitting on the girls. They gained entrance with their all-access passes; their badges.

Tony, wearing a bright red Hawaiian shirt that made Tripp cringe, eyed the women strolling along the beach with their drinks, and grinned.

"Bring me my pendulum, kiddies! I feel like swinging!" he yelped gleefully, quoting Big Daddy from _Beach Party_, 1963. "Can you please tell my parents I'm not coming home... ever?" (_Summer School, _1987) Both Tripp and Ziva groaned.

"I was expecting that," Ziva said.

"Hey, if Miami hasn't got it, they haven't invented it yet," Tony said, eyeing a blonde in a very tiny bikini who smiled back at him as she walked by.

Tripp groaned. "I take it you've watched _Miami Vice_?"

Tony just grinned. "Every episode on DVD at home," he said.

"That and he lives and breathes women," Ziva said.

"I did, once," Tripp admitted.

"And?"

"I wound up divorced when she thought I was cheating on her," he said sourly.

"Consider yourself lucky," Tony said, "especially compared to Gibbs."

"Oh?" Tripp asked.

"His last ex-wife left him with stitches in his head when she took a swing at him with a baseball bat," Tony said.

"I thought it was a golf club," Ziva said.

"That too," Tony said.

Tripp cringed.

"And there is our suspect," Ziva said, pointing to a tanned man wearing little more than black swim briefs with a zipper down the front. He was wearing sunglasses and lounging on a beach chair, a beer in one hand, as he chatted up a woman with black hair and a bikini that would barely classify as being a bikini.

"Jason Collins?" Tripp asked, approaching the man.

"Who wants to know?" Collins asked.

"Sergeant Frank Trip, Miami-Dade PD. We'd like to ask you a few questions."

Collins snorted. "A cop with a Texas accent. How'd you get past the front gate?"

"All-access pass," Tripp said, holding up his badge.

"And this is mine," Collins said, holding up his badge, "which means I out-rank you, so beat it, buster." He looked at Ziva and eyed her appreciatively. "You, on the other hand, sweetheart, can stay, provided you change in to something a little more suitable for the beach. You really are over-dressed."

Ziva smiled but it was a smile Tony recognized and he cringed. There was a glass of ice water on a nearby table and, picking it up, Ziva took a sip while winking suggestively at Collins, which made him grin. That grin vanished when she poured the water, ice and all, directly on to Collins crotch.

"You bitch!" he yelled.

She coldly held up her badge and Tony did the same. "Special Agent Ziva David, NCIS," she said. "You may not like Sergeant Tripp because he's a cop but you _will_ talk to us."

"And, as a result of your comments to my partner and Sergeant Tripp, we'll be having this conversation downtown," Tony said.

As they escorted Collins, still swearing, to Tripp's car, Tripp muttered to Tony, "Does she always do that?"

"No," Tony said. "That time she was polite. If she hadn't been polite she would have kicked him in the nuts."

Tripp grinned.

In an interrogation room Gibbs confronted Collins. "We found your DNA in Agent Watson's apartment and on a condom, also in her apartment."

"So? Yeah we were screwing. Big deal. Is that against the law?" Collins snapped.

"Fraternization isn't against NCIS policy," Gibbs said. "However, it does make you a suspect in her murder."

"Patty's dead? Wow, who did she piss off?" Collins asked snidely.

"That's what we're trying to find out," Gibbs said. "Do you have a safe?"

"Who doesn't?" Collins replied evasively. "Why?"

"We found a key that looks like it belongs to a safe and we're trying to determine whose," Gibbs said. "May we check yours?"

"Not without a warrant and not without my lawyer," Collins said. "Which means as far as I'm concerned, this conversation is over."

"Fine," Gibbs said, watching as Collins stood up. "Oh, by the way, what do you think of Agent McAllister?"

A nasty look came over the agent's face. "She was a meddling bitch who didn't belong here; she should have stayed in D.C.," he said.

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked.

Collins smiled nastily. "No one's seen her for a few days, Agent Gibbs, and she's new to the area. I'll bet she found out that if you're not careful, people can vanish in the Glades. She really should have stayed in D.C." And with that parting shot, the agent left.

"What do you think?" Tripp asked Gibbs outside of the interrogation room.

"He's a prick," Gibbs said, already taking out his cell to call Tony. When Tony answered, he said, "Pull Agent Collins' file. Everything and anything." He hung up. Then he got a call. "Yeah, Gibbs." His eyebrows went up. "Be right there," he said, hanging up. "And my team just got bigger."

Despite the fact that she was now in Miami, a much warmer climate, Abby was wearing a dress that was typical Abby; a dark red halter dress with black polka dots and a black petticoat underneath, with a bow on the bust. Long black lace finger-loop Lolita gloves were on her arms and she even wore black fishnet tights with her knee-high black and silver platform boots. Typical Abby, she even had her black lace parasol with her and her coffin backpack on her shoulders.

"Gibbs!" Abby shrieked excitedly, nearly bowling him over with her rather-enthusiastic hug.

"Hi Abby, what are you doing here, Abby?" Gibbs asked, struggling not to lose his balance.

"Director Vance said you needed help, so here I am," she chirped cheerfully. "This place is beyond fabulous! How is Janet? Have you seen her? Who is this Horatio guy she mentioned? What does he look like? Probably has red hair. Janet always had a thing about guys with red hair. Me, not so much but if he's cute enough, I'll pay attention. Where's McGee? He said something about doing a major tracking thingie for Janet."

Gibbs patiently waited for Abby to run out of breath. "McAllister is with Lieutenant Caine and they're going through some photos in the hope that it may jog her memory. McGee is in the AV lab, whatever the hell that is, working on the computers. And yes, Lieutenant Caine does have red hair," he said. "McGee will bring you up to speed on things."

"Great," Abby said. "But first I want to see Janet. I brought a few things for her."

Knowing Abby wouldn't do anything without first seeing the agent, Gibbs called Horatio who advised them they were heading for the morgue. Wanting to see the video file Agent Watson had done, Gibbs sent Abby with a lab technician.

In the morgue, Abby spotted her friend leaning against a wall of silver metal doors and staring down at the body of a battered blonde woman, her arms folded across her chest. Nearby, Horatio watched, giving her space. Seeing the sadness and confusion on Janet's face, Abby went up to her and pulled a brightly-colored wool lace shawl from her bag, putting it around Janet's shoulders. Janet looked at her and smiled, recognizing her.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey yourself. Is this Patty?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, my probie," Janet said. "Dr. Loman said she was beaten to death with the butt end of a gun." Abby nodded, laying her head on Janet's shoulder. "I don't know what she did to get killed like this, but I do remember she was a good agent and a friend. A bit naive, maybe, and I envied her for it. Carefree, happy, not yet dulled by the harshness of the world." She snorted softly. "She was my responsibility and I let her down. She didn't deserve this."

"We'll catch the guy who did this," Abby said. "I promise."

"I hope so. I really don't want to have to tell her parents that their daughter is dead and we don't know who or why," Janet said. "I wouldn't be able to live with that."

"You won't have to," Horatio said, coming up behind her and sliding an arm around her waist from behind. "because you won't do it alone."

Janet sighed heavily and nodded. She reached down and, with Horatio's help, pushed Patty Watson's body back in to the cooler. "Bring me up to date on the case. Memory loss or not, I'm in and Patty was my probie, which means I have a stake in this. Someone out there has a bullet with Patty's name on it waiting for them."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Thank you for all of your kind reviews and story alerts. I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit shorter than usual but right now I'm fighting a bit of a chest cold and I'm five months pregnant with my third child, so I'm naturally eyeing the "usual" stuff with a bit more caution than usual. Again thanks.

**Chapter 11**

In the AV room, there was silence as NCIS agents and CSIs watched the last video of Agent Patty Watson.

"_Hi, Jan. If you're seeing this, then something's wrong. Could be a multitude of things but if you did actually get it deencrypted, then whatever's wrong must be serious enough for you to do that_," Special Agent Patty Watson said on the screen. "_In that case, I'm hoping I can help. You see, I've been sleeping with Agent Jason Collins. Sure, he's cute and all that and a fantastic lover when he wants to be but lately I've been getting suspicious of some of his coming and goings, especially when he starts flashing the cash, the kind of cash you don't make as an agent. He's also been doing a lot of what he called quick errands but he never says where he's going or where he's been or why_." She bit her lip. "_So one time, when I was at his condo and he went out on one of his quick errands, I started snooping around and made a copy of the key to his safe that I knew he had; it's hidden behind a painting at his desk by the way. Then the next day I went back, when he wasn't home, and checked out his safe. He had a .45 Browning in there that I didn't like the looks of, especially since it came with a silencer. So I filled up his tub with water and fired it, silencer and all, to get a test bullet_." She giggled and held up her hands. "_Yes, yes, I did put a bullet back in the clip. I don't know what it means, Jan, but that gun, it felt evil_." The agent shivered and rubbed her arms as if she was cold. "_Jan, I also saw him meeting with Antonio Blancas, and we both know who he is; second hand man to one of the_ _biggest and meanest weapons dealers in Miami; Bryan T. DeFoe. And yes, I have proof. Just in case, and `cause I'm getting paranoid, I got the meeting all on camera and the flashcard is under that beautiful Windstone unicorn of yours. It was the only safe place I could think of that Jason wouldn't think to look. I couldn't make out what they were saying but I'm damn sure I saw money being exchanged. Please, Jan, if you're seeing this, please, please, please be careful. I know I'm not the brightest in the bunch and I'm so glad you didn't toss me out on my ear that first day and I really really really don't want anything bad to happen to you_."

The video ended and Gibbs turned to Janet. "The unicorn?"

"In a display cabinet in my apartment," she said. "It's a heavy piece. You might remember it; it's the rearing male unicorn." Gibbs did remember it; he had been with her when she'd bought it on impulse one time during what was supposed to be a stake-out-combo-surveillance of the area they were in, trying to catch an elusive murderer.

"We didn't look in the cabinet because it didn't look like it had been touched," Ziva admitted. "There were no dust voids."

"She probably put it there some time ago, just before she made the video," Tim said.

"Was she ever at your apartment?" Horatio asked.

"A few times, mostly late-night work sessions, sometimes dinner, sometimes girl-gab," Janet said. "Wouldn't have taken much." She was quiet for a moment and then said, "Patty may have been trying to help but that bullet will not be admissible in court because it wasn't obtained legally. Any lawyer with any brains could claim she planted the gun and there goes the evidence."

"Which means there goes our search warrant," Tony said sourly. "Nice."

"But if the pictures she took are incriminating enough...." Ziva said.

"Let's go," Gibbs said.

At Janet's apartment, Horatio, Gibbs, and Janet headed straight for a large display cabinet in her living room. Just as Patty had said, there was a flashcard taped to the bottom of the Windstone unicorn. Janet took it to her computer and accessed the card. As the pictures came up on the screen, sixteen in all, agent and cop alike started grinning.

Gibbs took out his cell and called Tony. "Get your ass down to the nearest courthouse with whoever you can grab. We'll meet you there. We've got the bastard." Then he heard Abby shrieking happily in the background. "How much caffeine has Abby had?" he asked.

Tony groaned. "_I think she's had four Red- ow! Abby!_"

"_We got him! We got him! We got him!_" Abby shrieked.

"_Got who, Abby?_" Tony asked.

"_Agent Collins! We tracked the last ten transactions from that account and eight of them came from either his Blackberry or his work computer or his home computer!_" Abby explained happily. "_Only two of them actually came from Agent Watson's computer!_"

"_You get that, boss?_" Tony asked.

"Loud and clear. Get him," Gibbs said.

"_On it, boss._"

The search warrant was granted with due process and Gibbs and team hit Agent Collins' place with a few members of the MDPD on hand in case Agent Collins, who wasn't there, came back. Meanwhile, Sergeant Tripp gathered a few members of the ATF who had been after Bryan T. DeFoe and went hunting. Abby, along with Dave Benton, the AV lab tech, were continuing to trace the buyers and sellers of the weapons and drugs connected to Agent Collins.

Now that Janet was at home and Collins was sure to figure out they were on to him and his not-so-legal recreational activities, Gibbs placed Janet under house arrest. She didn't exactly object, glad to be home and around familiar things, especially since Horatio was with her. He left only long enough to get an over-night bag and then he was back. Meanwhile, she cleaned up her apartment and placed a few calls to see about replacing her car and the majority of the contents of her purse, which had yet to be found (and she doubted ever would be).

She found the teddy and the robe on her bed and remembered she had been planning to try and seduce Horatio that night. Now she wondered if she would ever get the chance again or if the attempt on her life would change things between them. She wanted him, still, and more so now than ever. It was funny how nearly dying put one's life in perspective.

When Horatio returned, not only did he bring his over-night bag, but he had also thoughtfully brought dinner and a beautiful bouquet of Janet's favourite flowers, lilies.

While Gibbs and his people worked, pouncing on the safe in Collins' condo (exactly where Patty had said it would be), his computer, and his car (a very pricy and beautiful Ferrari California in white that had Tony several other car fanatics whimpering, panting, and almost crying that such a beautiful car would belong to such a potentially dangerous and deadly agent) and Frank and ATF bore their weight down on Antonio Blancas about his conversations with Collins, Horatio and Janet ate, cleaned their service weapons, and talked.

As they talked, they began to forget that someone had tried to kill Janet, possibly another NCIS agent, and that it was just another dinner date. Only this time, Horatio was not leaving the apartment.

"You are not sleeping on the couch, Horatio," she gently chided him later in the night after he inquired about where she kept her extra blankets and pillows.

"Janet, if I share your bed with you, I cannot, I cannot guarantee I will keep my hands to myself," Horatio said carefully.

Looking at him, she reached up and gently cupped his face in her hand. "I don't want you to," she said huskily. "That first time we were at that lunch place in Washington, when you smiled at me, I was hooked. By the end of the day, Horatio, if you had asked me to come back to your room with you, I would have done so gladly. But even in that short span of time I knew you were too much of a gentleman to do so."

"I wanted to," he admitted. "But I felt you deserved more than just a roll in the sheets."

She smiled, coming closer and sliding her hands up his chest. "That was why I decided to come to Miami; mostly because I did need the change but also because I was curious to see what else there was. Even if things didn't go beyond friendship, then at least I'd know someone in town."

"I was glad to hear from you," he admitted, letting himself touch her the way he needed to. "It was a bit of a surprise, but I was glad you came. I haven't been sure about how, how to proceed with things."

Her eyes darkened. "I can help you with that," she said huskily, before pulling his head down to hers.

That was the last thing either of them said for quite a while.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It had been a long night for a number of people but it had been worth it. Collins's safe had been opened and a .45 Browning pistol had been recovered. Closer examination had revealed hair and blood in the grip and the bullet clip; DNA got the blood and hair and Calleigh got the gun.

The second cell phone had been found and the last number dialled belonged to a Lieutenant James Herbert from Naval Air Station Key West. A background check on him revealed he had access to weapons, namely weapons that were supposed to be destroyed. Gibbs called JAG and set them on the Navy officer.

Collins' car was found to have traces of drugs in the trunk, possibly from transport. A quick, on-site analysis of the residue revealed it to be cocaine. The car was swiftly impounded and torn apart by CSI and Abby as they searched for the rest of the drugs and any other evidence they could find; their patience was rewarded when a strand of blonde hair was found in the passenger side, hair that had a follicle tag.

Then morning came and with it, the final nail in Collins' coffin.

Gibbs had hauled Collins in to NCIS from the warm bed of some nameless girl and the interrogation had started, namely with the gun and the phone records. Collins, of course, had clammed up, refusing to say a word without his lawyer, except to shout that someone was setting him up, specifically Janet. That was fine by Gibbs, because the longer he held on to Collins, the more time the lab technicians had to complete their work.

"Coffee?" Gibbs asked, waving his cup at Collins. The agent just glared at him. "You know, this could take a while," he said. "I hear traffic is pretty bad at this time of morning."

"I'm not saying another word until my lawyer gets here," Collins said. "And by the time he's finished with you, I'll have your badge, and that bitch's badge too."

"I'd love to see you try," Gibbs said. "Going to be kind of hard to do that from a state prison though, especially if you're on death row, which I hear Florida has."

"They're kind of fond of their death penalty," Tony said easily.

"And since we have you for the murder of a federal agent and the attempted murder of another federal agent, well, I don't think any judge is going to be looking at you too kindly, especially when they find out about your little side dealings, like weapons and drugs," Gibbs said.

"You have _nothing_," Collins hissed. "I don't see a witness. I don't see anything except a pair of agents too big for their britches."

Gibbs just smiled, taking another sip of his coffee.

At Janet's apartment, Horatio's cell went off. He had just gotten out of a rather enjoyable shower with Janet and now they were both getting dressed and drying themselves off. Horatio listened to the caller for a moment and then said, "Okay, Abby. Thank you. We will be there as quickly as possible." Turning to Janet, he said, "It seems Abby has something for us," an amused grin on his face as he put his cell down and resumed drying his hair with the towel.

"You like her," Janet said, grinning at him as she pulled a turquoise tank top over her stone-washed blue low-rise pencil jeans, a white denim jacket nearby.

"She is, interesting, for lack of better description," Horatio said, smiling.

"That's Abby. She knows her stuff and she's got the background to prove it," Janet said, reaching for a well-worn shoulder holster and sliding her arms in to it. Her service weapon would go in to it before they left. "Besides, Gibbs is fond of her and God help anyone who messes with her. Rumour has it the last guy who tried to attack her with a knife, by the time Gibbs got to her, the guy was covered in Café-Pow and duct tape, courtesy of Abby."

Horatio grinned.

At the crime lab, Abby, Calleigh, Ryan, Natalia, Jesse, Bryan, and Dr. Loman were waiting for them. When Abby saw Janet, she practically jumped at the agent.

"You're not gonna believe this, well maybe you will but talk about serious karma! I mean way, way serious karma! Mary Custer came back from the dead with a gift for you! Not that coming back from the dead is a good thing but this is so way going to nail that dirty jerk who murdered your probie and by the time the judge is done with him, they're gonna throw away the key," Abby said excitedly. Then she plopped on a chair and said tiredly, "Boy do I need my Café-Pow! I am majorly pooped."

"You mean this thing?" Janet asked, waggling a large cup in front of her. Abby practically snatched it out of her hand, slurping happily. Janet just grinned.

"What do you have?" Horatio asked patiently.

"This morning Mary Custer's husband, Adam Custer, turned over a video he had found in his e-mail," Ryan said. "He was over-seas and out of communication reach until a few hours ago. It seems, just before she died, Mary sent two videos from her cell phone, and Horatio?"

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe?"

"It's damning," Ryan said. He nodded at the AV tech, who tapped a button.

As the assembled group watched, an image of Janet's damaged car came up, focusing on the licence plate before moving off. Janet's hand flew to her mouth as she watched Collins turn on a struggling Patty Watson and beat her to death with his gun. There was a flicker as the second video activated and they watched as Collins pulled Patty's bloody body in to Janet's car, with Janet nowhere to be seen. Collins must have heard Mary because suddenly he looked up and spotted her. As he did, his gun came up and there was no doubt about what happened next.

The video ended and Jesse spoke, tapping various keys. "We've identified Agent Watson, Agent McAllister (that's her right there, crawling away from the car), Agent Collins, and Agent McAllister's car," he said.

"The gun?" Horatio asked.

"DNA and hair belong to Agent Watson," Natalia said. "Same with the hair we found in the car."

"And the gun is definitely the one that fired those bullets," Calleigh said.

"Bang, bang, bang," Janet whispered, imitating the sound of a coffin being nailed shut.

"Indeed," Horatio said, understanding the reference.

"Has anyone called Gibbs?" Janet asked.

"Tim says he's in interrogation with Tony and Collins said," Abby said. "And the last time I interrupted Gibbs in interrogation was the last time."

"Good point," Janet said, rubbing a thumb across her lips. She looked at Bryan and said, "Can you copy that video to disk, exactly the way you showed us, with all the identifying things at the end?"

"Like show and tell?" Bryan asked.

"Exactly like show and tell, with Collins' face from the video and his file photo blown up to full screen size," Janet said.

"Done and done," Bryan said.

"What are you thinking?" Horatio asked.

"Collins is a smart bastard," Janet said. "He'll lawyer up so fast it'll look like warp speed. Plus we have the little matter of agent loyalty."

"Turn his fellow agents against him," Calleigh said, catching on, "by exposing them to the truth."

"And when the find out he murdered one of their own, there'll be no place he can hide," Abby said, an evil smile on her face.

"Exactly," Janet said coldly.

At NCIS, disk in hand, it didn't take long for Janet or Horatio to gain access to the building. Despite not having her identification with her, the security guard at the front recognized Janet and winced when he saw the still-raw bullet graze on her head. In the main area, where the majority of the agents congregated, Janet grabbed a young man with bleach blonde hair that stood up in all directions and thick glasses, wearing a brightly-colored shirt, by his shirt front and slapped the disk on his chest. She apparently knew him because he said, "Agent McAllister, we were wondering what had happened to you. Uh, what did happen to you?"

"Shut up and listen to me, Petey," she said, dragging the hapless computer expert with her as she moved through the building. "You do what you're told, when you're told, without asking too many dumb questions, and I will see to it that you're my first choice for my Major Crimes Response Team computer expert. Got it?"

"That means you'll make me a field agent?" Petey asked eagerly.

"Can you follow orders?" Janet asked.

"Yes ma'am," Petey said happily.

"Then play this video when Horatio gives the word and the position is yours," she said, letting him go and heading for the interrogation rooms.

"Yes boss!"

"Where is the best place to get everyone's attention?" Horatio asked.

"Just stand on a desk and whistle," Petey said, moving to a desk and tapping a few keys on the computer.

Horatio did so and whistled sharply. Everyone in the room turned to look at him. "My name is Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade crime lab," he began. "A few days ago, Agent Patty Watson was beaten to death and Agent Janet McAllister was shot at, resulting in a head injury. Agent McAllister has been under protective custody since, while both NCIS and MDPD attempted to track down the killer, a killer who also took the life of an innocent civilian who happened to witness Agent Watson's murder. We now have that murderer in custody but the sad thing is, he's one of your own."

He nodded towards Petey, who tapped a key, and on a nearby plasma screen, the video of Patty's final moments began to play. The silence in the room was so thick one could have cut it with a knife. When the video ended, Horatio continued.

"We have the evidence, both from the video and from the gun we recovered from Agent Collins' place of residence, a gun that had Agent Watson's blood and hair on the grip," he said. "We also have proof he has ties to both gun running and drug dealing. Ladies and gentlemen, Agent Collins has betrayed both you and the very thing you hold dear."

Tony's cell went off. Moving off to one corner, he quietly answered it and then was back at Gibbs side, whispering.

"McAllister and Caine are here and they have a little show and tell for us, boss," he said. "And Horatio says it promises to put the final nail in our fair agent's coffin with a bang."

"Unless you arrest my client, we are leaving," Nate Thompson said, getting impatient. He was Collins' lawyer and he had finally arrived, no thanks to heavy commuter traffic.

"Screw that," Collins snarled. "You want to arrest me, come and get me. I'm gone." And he stormed out of the room, Thompson hot on his heels. Gibbs just smiled.

In the main office, Horatio was waiting, along with nearly every agent at NCIS. When Collins saw them, he froze, especially when several agents unholstered their weapons and visibly pulled back the hammers.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"It seems, Agent Collins, it seems you are not very popular right now," Horatio said casually, folding his arms across his chest, chin down as if in contemplation. "Did you know Mary Custer sent her husband some video before she died?"

"Who?" Collins snapped nervously. Something really wasn't right and he could feel the hatred in the room coming towards him in waves.

"Mary Custer, thirty-two years old, shot three times in the chest by bullets that came from your gun," Horatio said easily. "She had a cell phone with her, which we recovered. It was in pieces, of course, and water damaged, so we couldn't recover any data from it, but this morning, my friend, this morning her husband brought us a little video she'd sent him and the time stamp was the day she died, the day you murdered her."

"I didn't murder anyone," Collins snarled.

"These accusations are unfounded!" Thompson snapped.

"Not quite, Counsellor, not quite," Horatio said. "Play it again, Sam." He pointed towards a large plasma screen and as Collins watched, he saw himself being watched as he beat Patty Watson to death and dragged her body in to Janet's car. He saw that Janet had crawled in to the water, dazed, confused, bleeding but alive. And then he saw the final frame and knew Mary Custer, a dumpy little housewife, had signed his death warrant. He turned to run....

And found himself staring down the wrong end of Agent Janet McAllister's SIG. Behind it were the coldest pair of eyes he'd ever seen and he knew right there and then he was a dead man.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: ** sorry this chapter is so short but I accomplished what I set out to do and wanted to wrap this up neatly. Thanks for your reviews and your patience and hope to see you around.

**Chapter 13**

He was a dead man and he knew it, especially if Special Agent Janet McAllister had anything to say about it.

"Ten people are dead because of you," she said quietly. She might as well have been shouting; everyone heard her. "I don't know why or how you got Patty involved that night, I really don't care. The fact of the matter is you beat her to death with your gun. Patty may have been naive, she may have been a bit of a klutz, and she could rival a squirrel with her chatter, but she was my probie and she was a damn good agent. She did not deserve to die like that."

Collins swallowed heavily, watching as Janet's gun never wavered from its place less than three inches from between his eyes.

"You, Jason Collins, call yourself a federal agent. You are sworn to uphold the ideals behind the badge, to protect and defend those who cannot defend themselves. Instead, in your greed, you betrayed each and every one of us," Janet said. "Jason Collins, you are under arrest for ten counts of murder, including the murder of a U.S. Marshal and a federal agent, one count of attempted murder of a federal agent, and dozens and dozens of counts of whatever charges the District Attorney can slap you with in regards to drug dealing and weapons dealing. Somebody read this bastard his rights before his lawyer shits his pants."

There was a clinking noise as Gibbs held up a pair of handcuffs. "I think you know what to do," he said, smiling at Collins.

As Tony read the former agent his rights and Gibbs cuffed him, Thompson looked at Janet tiredly and said, "I suppose there's no way we can cut a deal?"

"Not up to us," Horatio said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll talk to the D.A.," Thompson said.

It was only when Collins was secured that Janet lowered her weapon. Then, just as Collins was being hauled away, she called to him. "Hey Collins, I know I'm a pain in the ass and all that, but did you _really_ have to put my car in the water? That was my baby and I hadn't eve finished paying for it yet!"

There was a round of sniggers and yelps of indignation from several car=lovers, as Janet had intended.

"Show's over, folks," Tim said.

"And the paperwork's just beginning," Janet groused, causing Horatio to smile. Little by little the woman he knew and cared about was coming back.

Gibbs and his people remained in Miami for one more day, primarily to take care of the paperwork that came with arresting an agent and charging him with multiple counts of murder and other assorted charges.

When there was time, Horatio's team took Gibbs' team to some of the hottest spots in Miami. The end result was Tony and Tim flying home with massive hangovers and Ziva and Abby sleeping most of the way home.

To no one's surprise, neither Gibbs, Horatio, nor Janet joined them. Instead, as per Alexx Woods' "demands", the trio joined her and her family for dinner.

Then the call came. Jason Collins, after spilling everything about everything, had hung himself in his cell.

"Seems he got tired of everyone getting ahead but him," Gibbs later told Vance in his office over a drink the director had poured himself and Gibbs. "So he used his contacts and knowledge of the drug and weapon world, took out what he claimed was a few select targets, and made quite a bit of cash. Then he planned to start a nice little gang war and retire amid the firestorm."

"Except Agent McAllister started asking questions," Vance said. "And he had to take her out."

"He convinced Agent Watson he wanted to talk to Janet about what was going on, that he was undercover," Gibbs said. "She was gullible enough to believe him."

"Instead he set Agent McAllister up to die and Agent Watson turned on him."

And Mary Custer saw what happened and had to be eliminated but not before she sent the video to her husband."

"Charming. How is Agent McAllister?"

"Recovering. Docs say she may never fully remember the attack, given the trauma involved, but there's been no permanent damage, aside from a scar on her head."

"And Lieutenant Caine?"

"No problems with him."

"Good. Then let's call this one a wrap, shall we?"

"For us, yes. For Miami, no. I think you'll be getting reports on the Collins mess for quite some time."

"Like we didn't with that business with Agent Lee?" Vance asked sourly. Gibbs nodded in acknowledgement.

"Ah, Miami's in good hands with Janet, especially now that she's got her own MCRT. She'll be okay. Not sure about the bad guys though."

Vance raised his glass. "May our enemies be stupider than us, our technology better than theirs, and may Justice always prevail."

"Amen to that."

_Miami, Florida:_

"Hey boss, Dispatch says we got a dead sailor on the harbor, MDPD says it's ours," Petey said, racing to catch up with his new supervisor as she moved through the building.

"Gear up. Grab the van, I'll call Dr. Jackson," Janet said.

"Got it boss," Petey said, taking off.

"Just another day in Paradise," Janet mumbled to herself, reaching for her new cell........


End file.
